Crossroads
by KaceyMackWriter
Summary: Dean's trapped in astral form while his real body wastes away in the real world. A sudden visit from a certain angel raises one very important question. Is it possible for Dean to come back? Side note: Go easy on me, I'm new to this fandom!
1. Chapter 1

Based off Season 2: Episode 1

Sam's P.O.V.

Sam woke with a start, eyes burning the moment the light touched them. He shut his watering eyes just as quickly as he'd opened them, slowly becoming aware of an insane pounding in his head.

In the darkness behind his eyelids, painful images flashed before him. A long dark road ahead of him. Sudden bright lights from the truck that sent the Impala spinning into a ditch. His head slamming into the wheel and a burst of pain blossoming from the spot that Sam gripped tightly now.

Slowly, Sam opened his eyes once more as they adjusted to the bright fluorescent lights of the room around him. He tried to raise his arm to block them but found it restricted in a cast. Sam groaned as he tried to move and pain shot through his body. Despite that though, Sam managed to sit up, swinging his legs over the side. He sat for a moment, peering around the hospital room. A huge curtain hung in the middle of the room, splitting it in too but Sam couldn't see who was on the other side. Sam struggled to set his feet on the floor, staring down at his good arm but before he could rip out the needle stuck in it, a nurse practically flew into the room ordering him to stop.

"Absolutely not! You'll cause more damage. You need to lay down." She demanded, standing in front of him. Even sitting down, Sam towered over her but something in her worn but serious expression still scared him the tiniest bit so he did as he was told and swung his legs back up onto the bed.

"Good." She said, expression immediately warming. "Good morning, Samuel. I'm glad to see you're finally awake."

Sam tilted his head slightly in confusion. "It's just Sam and, uh, who are you?"

"My name's Ava, hun. I've been caring for you since you got here." Ava smiled knowingly like she knew he was about to fire a bunch more questions at her. And he did.

"How long have I been here? Where's my father? What about my broth-"

Ava held up a hand to interrupt him. "Hold on, darling. Slow down. One question at a time please." Sam took a breath but didn't say anything, instead staring at her expectantly. "Alright then, you've only been here a day. You and your family were brought in yesterday after the crash."

"And are they okay? Where are they?" Sam didn't dare say his father's real name in case he'd told them something different. He stared at Ava hopefully but the longer it took her to respond the more nervous he grew. She chewed on her bottom lip hesitantly. "Ava?"

Ava sighed, brushing her long greying hair out of her face. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Sam. But I'm afraid… I'm afraid your father didn't survive the crash. He passed away shortly after being brought to the hospital."

When she stopped she just simply watched Sam quietly. Tears welled in his eyes against his will but still he fought against them. "What about my brother? What happened to Dean?"

Ava smiled sadly even though she'd clearly been expecting the question to come. She crossed the room to where the curtain hung. "Unfortunately, your brother sustained much more severe injuries." She reached up and drew back the curtains to reveal Dean's body illuminated by the glow of sunset.

From where Sam sat, he could only see half of Dean's face but even that was enough to see the bandages that covered his body and the bruising on his face. "Is he… ? Did he…?" Sam stared up at Ava who still stood quietly watching him.

But Ava shook her head. "Your brother's injuries were much more severe than your own. Scans showed low levels of brain activity and at the moment, it seems unlikely that he'll ever regain consciousness."

Sam struggled to keep his tears away. He held his breath to keep from choking on a sob and slowly moved to sit up once more. He swung his legs over the side of the bed much to Ava's dismay but he simply brushed aside her concerns and stood up. It only took him two steps to reach Dean's bedside but they were already too much and his legs began to buckle.

Ava moved swiftly, grabbing a chair from the other side of his bed and carrying it over to him. She sat it behind him right as his legs collapsed beneath him and he dropped into the chair. Sam didn't even glance her way when he whispered. "Do you mind giving me a second?"

Sam listened to her footsteps squeaking away, tossing a cautious glance over his shoulder before looking back at his brother. "Don't you dare die on me. Not yet. Not now. We've got too much to do, too much to hunt so you better not die now. You hear me, you jerk?"

Dean's P.O.V.

"Yeah I hear you, Sammy. So why the hell can't you hear me?" Dean whispered in reply.

Dean stared at his own body and his brother by his body's side.

"Dammit Sam, I'm right here. All you have to do is listen. I know you can hear me if you really try." He whispered angrily. But as Sam's eyes moved from Dean's body to flit around the room, they flew right through where Dean stood. "_Dammit Sammy!_" Dean growled again. "_Just try!"_

But there was nothing, not a word from Sam, no sign that he'd even heard Dean at all. Dean tried everything but nothing worked and eventually his back hit the wall and he slid down to the floor glaring into the air. He sighed heavily, tears hidden right behind his eyes.

"Dea-" Sam started, perking up Dean's ears but Sam never finished saying his name. Dean shot upwards, staring at his brother who now sat completely frozen. Not even blinking. Dean gaped at his brother for a second before tearing out the door and into the hallway where his suspicious were immediately confirmed. Everyone, every doctor, nurse and patient, was frozen in time.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered to himself. He sprinted down the hall and out the door of the hospital because it was just the hospital that was frozen. Everyone, everywhere seemed suspended in time. Even a bird in the frozen blue sky stayed perfectly still with its wings still spread, still hovering, but not moving.

Something didn't feel right so Dean darted back into the hospital and back up to his room.

When he made it to the door, his feet skidded to a stop. He stood in the doorway, breathing heavily and staring at the slightly swaying form of a man in a trenchcoat whos back was to Dean. Slowly the man turned to look at Dean, his face blocked by shadows from the light of the windows now behind him. Dean didn't move as the man stepped towards him and into the hospital room lights but his body tensed, fists clenched ready for a fight.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean said gruffly, glaring at the man.

The figure continued to step into the light, revealing a long brown trench coat and possibly the most serious face Dean had ever seen.

"Hello Dean." He replied. "My name is Castiel. We've got a lot to discuss."


	2. Chapter 2

Dean's P.O.V.

Dean remained frozen in place as the man, Castiel or whatever his name was, continued forward. Upon seeing Deans hesitation Castiel stopped advancing.

"I can see you're probably confused. Shall I explain?" He asked, not really waiting for an answer before he launched into his explanation. "You see, Dean. I am an angel of the Lord. And you, Dean Winchester, are dead. Or at least dying."

Castiel let that sit with Dean for a moment and in the silence, Dean finally spoke. "So… what? You're here to take me to Heaven or Hell or whatever? But wait, if you are then why freeze time? Why wait until now? What's the point of this visit if I'm already dead? Doesn't a spirit automatically go up or down when they die?"

Castiel listened intently to Deans barrage of questions but didn't answer a single one when he finished. Instead he simply strode past Dean, out the door and into the hallway. He paused only for a moment to glance back at Dean who stood a foot away. Then he sighed, reached out and lightly touched Dean's arm.

Suddenly Dean found himself outside, in the park about a block away from the hospital.

"Walk with me." Castiel said before strolling away.

Dean barely had time to process what had just happened but still he forced his legs to follow Castiel.

"So angel boy." Dean said gruffly. "You gonna answer my questions or what?"

Outside in the frozen sunlight, Dean could see Castiel clearly now. His dark brown hair swept up and to the side. And though his expression remained serious, Dean could've sworn that he saw something glint in his bright eyes.

"Right, yes. Firstly, no a spirit does not go directly anywhere when it's time has come. It requires a guide from this world to the next."  
"Sounds fun." Dean rolled his eyes.

"No, I would not believe that passage to the afterlife would be fun at all." Castiel speculated emotionlessly.

"No, I… nevermind." Dean shook his head. "Anyway, next question… why now? And again with the whole freezing time thing. It makes no sense if you're just here to take me to the afterlife."

Castiel seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking again. "I am not here to take you anywhere. I am here to give you a choice." He stepped forward, a little too close to Dean for his liking, and stared at him.

Dean took a step backwards, "Woah personal space, angel boy. What the hell are you talking about?"

"I said, I'm here to offer you a choice."  
Rolling his eyes, Dean deadpanned to Castiel. "Yeah, I got that. I meant what choice?"  
"Well, to live or die of course."


End file.
